The Chicago Bears kicked off their 2026 offseason program at Halas Hall this week, and the mood was unmistakable — this team isn’t satisfied with last season’s NFC Divisional Round run. Four players met with the media Monday: quarterback Caleb Williams, newly signed center Garrett Bradbury, free agent addition defensive back Coby Bryant, and tight end Cole Kmet. The message from all four was consistent: the work starts now, and the goal is a Super Bowl.
Caleb Williams: Ready to Lead, Ready to Win
Coming off a season in which he guided the Bears to back-to-back home playoff games and a near-upset of the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, Caleb Williams arrived at Halas Hall itching to get back to work — and eager to be exactly the leader this franchise needs him to be.
“I’ve been itching to get back since, honestly, since the game,” Williams said. “I’m really excited to be around the guys. I’ve been waiting on this day to get back and see the new faces.”
When asked about the importance of the upcoming season, Williams spoke about growth, about stepping into a role he’s been building toward since he arrived in Chicago — and about one clearly defined goal.
“Every year is a big year. You go into it and you have one goal, and you obviously set that goal at the beginning of it, which we’ve done, and we know what the goal is,” he said. “You find ways to have small wins, small victories throughout OTAs and camp. You set the plan — that’s what we’ve been doing today.”
With veteran safety Kevin Byard departing to New England and DJ Moore traded to the Buffalo Bills, Williams acknowledged that his voice needs to carry more weight in 2026. But his approach is grounded.
“A lot of that comes from being able to go win ball games,” he said on leadership. “Doing it on Sundays… It’s always lead by example. And then, if anything needs to be said, I don’t mind being confrontational about it.”
Williams also spoke about the role he believes the franchise’s quarterback should play in attracting talent to Chicago. He’s been active in reaching out to new free agent additions and sees it as a natural extension of who he is.
“I want to know, I want to be cool with all my teammates. In that sense I’m no bigger than them — I am just a teammate,” he said. “My reaching out is just setting the vibe, setting the energy for what we need them to be here. We want to win here. That’s always the end goal.”
On the football side, Williams talked about the areas of his game he wants to expand — efficiency, ball placement, and getting on the same page with what figures to be a young, hungry receiving corps led by Luther Burden III.
Garrett Bradbury: A Veteran Presence for a Young Signal-Caller
New center Garrett Bradbury came to Halas Hall fresh off relocating his family from Arizona, settling into a new city with a wife and two daughters under age three in tow. The former Minnesota Viking brings exactly what head coach Ben Johnson sought — a steady, experienced presence to anchor the offensive line for Williams, especially given the unexpected retirement of Drew Dalman.
Bradbury wasted no time zeroing in on his most important working relationship: the one he’ll build with his new quarterback.
“A lot of times there’s a center-quarterback meeting throughout the week for protections. What will the defense present us? Are we seeing it the same way? Do I need to turn around?” Bradbury explained. “It’s part of a working relationship with a quarterback. They drive the whole team, the whole offense. Any way I can assist — I’m looking forward to working through that.”
Bradbury also reflected on how his perspective has evolved. Once a young player learning from a veteran quarterback (in Minnesota), he now finds himself in the opposite role — and he’s embracing it.
“When I was young, I had Kirk Cousins and he knew everything. It was just cool to learn and learn and learn,” he said. “As I’ve gotten older and more experienced, I see the game a little bit differently. I’ve seen more things and am a lot more comfortable and confident to voice what I’m seeing and things that we could adjust or change.”
Bradbury also noted that he already had an encouraging first impression of Williams: “He’s obviously as advertised on the field, but [he’s a] really sharp individual off the field.” His reunion with former NC State Wolfpack college teammate Joe Thuney on the offensive line was another welcomed element of the move.
Coby Bryant: A Super Bowl Champion Ready to Bring His Edge to Chicago
Perhaps the most intriguing newcomer to speak on Monday was defensive back Coby Bryant, who arrives from Seattle after winning a Super Bowl ring with the Seahawks. The fifth-year pro wears his confidence naturally — head coach Ben Johnson has already called him “a trained killer” — and he spoke openly about how his versatility fits what new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to build.
“Just utilize me in man coverage or middle of the field, whatever the case may be,” Bryant said. “I could do a lot of things, and the coaches and staff realize that as well. Whatever I need to do to help the team I’m willing to do.”
On the mental side of leaving Seattle and arriving in Chicago, Bryant was nothing but positive. He described barely sleeping the night before his first day at Halas Hall — “I felt like a kid going to preschool again” — and said the city’s reputation has only amplified his excitement.
“Once I signed here, everything I’ve done in Seattle is behind me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being a part of this team and this organization. Plenty of special things are ahead of us — just scratching the surface.”
Bryant also spoke glowingly of his early interactions with Williams, noting that the young QB was one of the first to reach out after he signed. “It told me a lot, honestly — just [about] the leader he is at such a young age. That’s very rare. I’ve been in the league for five years, and I’ve never experienced anything like that.”
Cole Kmet: No Rings Yet, But That’s the Only Goal
Going into his seventh season as a Bear, and one of three players who have been with the team since 2020, tight end Cole Kmet has been through the lean years and the breakthrough. He knows what losing feels like, and that memory is a powerful motivator heading into what he believes is a legitimate Super Bowl window.
Kmet drew on head coach Ben Johnson’s central message at the start of the offseason program: last year’s success means nothing now.
“I saw something — there’s like seven to nine new playoff teams every year,” Kmet said. “This league wants parity and they get parity. We’re not excused from that. It’s going to take a lot of work for us to be one of those teams that miss out on it… Our expectations in the building don’t ever change. It’s to go win the Super Bowl.”
Kmet also addressed his own role on the offense, expressing confidence in the two-tight end system he and Colston Loveland developed through last season’s stretch run. He credited Johnson’s week-to-week ability to exploit favorable matchups and put players in position to succeed.
“I think the two tight ends in this offense are paramount,” he said. “It might not always be in the passing game — there’s a lot of things that I had to do last year within pass protection and in the run game that proved to be very valuable for the team.”
On the benefit of returning with offensive continuity — the same scheme, the same verbiage — Kmet was enthusiastic. “Instead of focusing on those things, you can really dive into your fundamentals… Now you can just go out and play. Hopefully the things we had to iron out last year during this time and early parts of camp we can bypass quickly enough and get to the nitty gritty of it all.”
The veteran tight end also offered perhaps the most grounded perspective of the day when reflecting on the famous fourth-quarter touchdown catch he made in the NFC Divisional Round loss to the Rams: “I have to remind people we lost the game after they tell me how good of a catch it was. It was a cool moment for sure, but hopefully next time we can pull up the win there.”
The Draft Is Days Away — What Do the Experts Say the Bears Need?
The players’ resolve will soon be tested on the other side of the building, where general manager Ryan Poles holds the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, set for April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. The consensus among analysts is clear: edge rusher, safety, and offensive line are the top priorities.
ESPN identifies the Bears’ top three needs as edge, safety, and center heading into the draft. The Bears registered just 35 sacks last season, tied for seventh-fewest in the NFL, making pass rush a critical focus.
In terms of who analysts are projecting at No. 25, there’s a clear pair of names dominating mock drafts. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN has Chicago selecting Missouri defensive end Zion Young in the first round to pair with Montez Sweat — a player who recorded 6.5 sacks, 46 pressures, and 18 tackles for loss in 2025. CBS Sports analysts have also pointed to Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods as a strong fit, with one analyst noting Chicago has “bodies at the position, but no one who really moves the needle” the way Woods could.
Left tackle is also in the conversation. With Ozzy Trapilo dealing with a patellar injury and uncertainty around his return timeline, some analysts believe the Bears could shift their first-round focus to protecting Caleb Williams at the blind side. NFL.com’s Nick Shook projects Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor to Chicago, writing that “protecting Caleb Williams is priority No. 1.”
Safety is another pressing need after Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker both departed in free agency, leaving a notable hole alongside Coby Bryant in the secondary. Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has emerged as a popular safety projection for Chicago in several mock drafts.
Johnson himself acknowledged the balancing act at the NFL league meetings: “I know there’s a lot of emphasis on the pass rush — I got it — but there’s a marriage between that rush and coverage as well.”
Whatever Poles and Johnson decide Thursday night, the players who spoke at Halas Hall on Monday made one thing abundantly clear: the standard in that building is a championship, and anything less will be treated as unfinished business.
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, April 23 from Pittsburgh. The Bears hold the 25th overall pick.
